Random musings

What a stunning day today – what did you get up to?

As I’ve been working outside this afternoon and didn’t come inside until quite late, I have little energy or inspiration for tonight’s post. So it’s going to be short.

I had a most enjoyable bike ride this morning.  Every time I explore my background I am always blown away by the landscape and how lucky I am to live in a such a beautiful and peaceful country.

This afternoon I opened up my bee hive.  What a ‘hive’ of activity it was!  Opening up my hive always takes me out of my comfort zone – usually because I have problems getting my smoker to last the whole time and also because I struggle to lift the boxes off – they’re heavy!   Anyway today I succeeded on both counts.  The hive was jam-packed with bees all busy carrying out their role.  The top box was fill of honey and the lower boxes contained plenty capped brood cells (this is a capped cell of a developing female worker honeybee or drone bee) plus a couple of Queen cells.  Because of the number of bees in the hive I put an extra box on so they have more room – hoping they won’t swarm.  By the time I closed up the hive the bees were quite happy and not at all agitated by being exposed to the elements.

The rest of afternoon was spent pruning hydrangeas, weeding and tidying up.  There is always something to do if you have a garden.  How are your gardens looking at the moment?  What is flowering?

Dingbats

Trust you are still enjoying these?

Big of humour

I hope they bring a smile to your face.

Enjoy this Dr’s Advice TikTok video.  Thank you Carly.

Answers to Dingbats

1. Nice to see you
2. A bunch of flowers
3. Tea for two
4. Time to go

Well that is it for tonight.  Trust you all are enjoying level 3?  Take care out there – GoldCard Gal 🙂

Neighbourhood scenes

Daffodils from Blenheim – thank you Ben. The colours and varieties are exceptional.

Rural Waikato scenes

First day in level three for those who live south of Auckland.  Did you do anything different?  If so, please share it.

I was excited this morning, because today was the day I would have my first ‘click and collect flat white’ in two weeks from my neighbourhood cafe Front Paddock.

As I was walking down towards Front Paddock I had this internal dialog advocating that I should get my coffee first then continue on my walk.  Backwards and forwards this internal conversation went on, ‘get your coffee now’ my logical side saying ‘don’t be weak, wait until after your walk‘.   In the end my logical side won.  Do you ever have these internal dialog battles going on?

As I was walking back towards Front Paddock there was another couple going to same way.  They like me were looking forward to their first coffee.  Ben (the barista) was very busy he said “this morning has been crazy.’ While waiting for my coffee it was surprising the number of people that also dropped by to pick up their coffees.  Great for this small business.

Seeing a lonely cronut in the display cabinet I decided to treat myself.  The coffee and cronut tasted just as I’d imagined they would – delectable.

Having had my “caffeine fix and treat’ I was feeling alive and ready for anything – so to speak. So,  have decided to continue with my daily posts until we go into level two, because then many of you will be ‘out and about’ and in physical contact with others and no longer need this digital connection.

Fish and Chips knitting pattern

Today I finished my little fish and chips top.  It was very easy to knit because it is knitted as one, the instructions are simple to follow and you can use scrap wool as I did.  If you want the pattern click here.

Dingbats

Today’s brain teasers.

A bit of humour

COVID numbers

Today’s numbers as at 9am, 1 September 2021.  An increase in new cases.

New cases reported during the past 24 hours	76
At the border	42
In the community	682
Under investigation/other	0
Total	724

Answers to dingbats

1. Frilly underwear
2. We’re in the soup
3. Wait for nobody
4. In the middle of nowhere

Snail bait

Thank you for your comments,  That is right, last night I went outside in the dark to see if I could catch any snails eating my young hostas, and sure enough I found two – they were quickly ‘put to sleep’.  Do you have any ideas for catching snails without using snail bait?  If so, please share your method.

Take care out there – GoldCard Gal  🙂

Neighbourhood scenes

Todays scenes come from along Matangi Road and my home.  Enjoy!

It’s been two weeks since I have been out in my car.  Later today I’m off to the supermarket to do a big shop, and I’m driving my car – how exciting is that?  It doesn’t take much for this ‘gal’ to feel excited and full of gratitude.  I’m grateful that I have a car; I can drive; and I’m off grocery shopping.  What are you grateful for today?

Have you ever noticed how the Waikato seems to miss many of the major weather events that happen around our country?  What a dump of rain in West Auckland last night, and it happened in darkness which always seems worse.  Thinking of all the residents who had to evacuate in darkness and have had their homes and businesses flooded.  I always seem to think of the clean-up – what a job and what a mess.  How long does it take for a house to dry out after it has been flooded?  Can you imagine it?  As if being in lockdown isn’t enough.  Have any of you had your home or business flooded or had to evacuate unexpectedly? I’d love to hear your story.

As I have said previously spring is everywhere to be seen in my garden, and guess what I saw yesterday afternoon?  A couple of my hostas are sprouting!  It does seem awfully early to me.  Anyone else noticing their hostas popping up?  Last autumn I transplanted a large number of hostas to a different part of my garden so I’m eagerly awaiting to see their appearance and display this summer.

Level 3 – what is different for you?

With level 3 coming into effect from mid-night tonight, how will your life change, if at all?  If you are into takeaways, what will be your first choice?  I am looking forward to a good flat white, from my local café Front Paddock.  Have just checked, yes it will be open for takeaways – yippie!!

Dingbats

Paralympics update

Just been watching the men and women’s 16 km road time trial.  Depending on the rider’s impairment depends on whether they ride a tandem bike with a pilot or a trike.  The trike cycling is captivating, because the course is undulating with many sharp corners to navigate. It is not an easy course.  The trikes don’t appear to be that stable going around sharp corners at speed.  I did see one cyclist crash and from what the commentators were saying there have been a number of crashes and chains coming off.

Sophia Pascoe won bronze last night, her first bronze ever.  Before last night she’d only ever won Gold or Silver medals – a total of 15.  A remarkable athlete.

Currently NZ have 2 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.  They are going well!

Bit of  humour

COVID numbers

Today’s numbers as at 9am, 31 August, 2021.  Another decrease in numbers. – thank goodness.

New cases reported during the past 24 hours	50
At the border	42
In the community	609
Under investigation/other	0
Total	561

Answers to dingbats

1. Eyes wide open
2. First in que
3. On the open road
4. Kings Cross

Thank you for your comments, they are appreciated.  With level 3 coming into effect from mid-night tonight, do I continue with my posts?  A decision to be made – perhaps after my flat white tomorrow I’ll make that decision.  In the meantime, so care out there – GoldCard Gal 🙂

Neighbourhood scenes

Today scenes come from Matangi and Tauwhare neighborhood’s.

While I was out walking this morning, enjoying the sun and lack of vehicle noise, it allowed me to reflect on my blog posts.  I know last night I was slack, that is putting it mildly – I was tired and need to change the way I post each day.  Not so much change what I post but when I post.  Usually I leave it until night time when I know I’m passed ‘my best” so speak, wrong time of day for me to capture my thoughts and use my creativity!!  So today I’m starting much earlier and hopefully have a better outcome!  Time will tell.

Season for lemons

It seems to be the season for lemons. While out and about in my neighbourhood I’ve seen many signs telling people to ‘help yourself to our lemons’.  For those of you who like to make your own food or love ice-cream here is a recipe for lemon ice-cream, thanks to Life and Leisure magazine.  If you make it let me know.

Paralympics updates

After I had posted last night I realised I hadn’t reviewed what our kiwi athletes had achieved to date. If you get a chance do check the Paralympics out – they’re on TVNZ Duke most of the day.

• Two Gold medals: Lisa Adams and Tupou Neiufi
• Two Silver medals: Danielle Aitchison (her first games) and Sophie Pascoe

When I turned TVNZ Duke on tonight there was a volleyball game being played.  All the players were sitting on the floor and using their arms in the normal way.  Of course the net was lowered accordingly, but it was incredible was how quickly they could move their body around to get under the ball. Quite an eye opener.

Tonight on Duke:

Good luck Jesse and Sophie.

• 20:14 – Jesse Reynolds in 100m Backstroke final S9
• 20:21 – Sophie Pascoe in 100m Backstroke final S9

Dingbats

COVID numbers

I actually debated today whether I should be publishing the COVID cases.  We seem to be fascinated with ‘case numbers’ when relative to other health issues, COVID deaths and hospitalisation cases are minor.  Take our road toll, how many people each year are killed or badly maimed for life?  If we applied the same scrutiny to road accidents, flu, cancer cases as we do to COVID, I think we would be in for a colossal shock.  We have learnt to live with all these dreadful life events, and don’t shut our country down.  Why is it that COVID seems ‘the only act in town?’  What are your thoughts?

Here is an article about one vegetable grower – how many others are there like him?  AND we have people going hungry, where is the common sense in all this?

But, here are the numbers as at 9 am, 30 August, 2021.  Guess the good news today is that new cases reported has dropped.

New cases reported during the past 24 hours	55
At the border	41
In the community	562
Under investigation/other	0
Total	603

Bit of humour

This is for all those parents who are homeschooling and also trying to work from home.

Answers to dingbats

1. Criminal
2. No two ways about it
3. Son of a gun
4. It’s a small world after all

So far my brain seems to be performing much more effectively.  Now need to get outside and finish pruning my hydrangeas.  I did turn my compost this morning, so feeling pretty pleased with that.

Thank you for your comments.  Take care out there – GoldCard Gal 🙂

Neighbourhood scenes

Very local scenes today – all within the Matangi & Tamahere neighbourhood.